25 best summer drinks for a cooling sip

Jun 25, 2023

Pack up your parka and pull out your pitcher for these must-make summer drinks. Here, you’ll find cocktail and mocktail recipes featuring juicy summer berries, ripe stone fruit and fresh herbs galore. In-season produce is accented with boozy mix-ins such as prosecco, vodka and tequila, as well as nonalcoholic staples like sparkling water, flavored sodas and tea. As you master your mixology skills, you’ll also learn a thing or two about how to make homemade lemonade, which you can serve as is for kids and adults alike, or dress up with coconut rum and pineapple juice for an island-inspired sipper. No matter where you’re celebrating, this Lemonade Rum Punch tastes like another. For a beverage that everyone can enjoy, make a batch of homemade Strawberry Lemonade. There's no better way to take advantage of the abundance of fresh summer berries than with this refreshing drink.

On scorching summer days, blend up frosé, which is essentially zhuzhed up frozen rosé wine, for adults. Plus, you can (and should) make it ahead for easy entertaining. Better yet, blend the aforementioned strawberry lemonade with ice for a virgin version that your little ones can enjoy, too.

While some of these recipes are designed to be made for a crowd, others only make one drink. That said, feel free to scale the recipe up (or decrease the quantity) to match the number of people you’re serving. Keep these summer drink recipes in your back pocket — er, mesh beach tote — whenever you’re craving a cooling sip.

Lemonade Prosecco Punch by Ryan Scott

What happens when you combine lemon-lime soda, prosecco, sparkling water and lemon juice? You get a refreshing, puckering punch that's made for a hot summer day. To prevent it from getting watered down by a bunch of melting ice, create a lemony ice block using frozen lemonade concentrate and fresh mint leaves.

Lemonade Rum Punch by Delish

This four-ingredient rum cocktail tastes like vacation. Simply combine lemonade, pineapple juice and coconut rum in a highball glass, then top with a tropical rum floater.

Bourbon Strawberry Lemonade by Casey Barber

Upgrade a pitcher of strawberry lemonade with one easy ingredient made for summertime sipping — bourbon. A glass of this sweetened drink is best served immediately, but who would want to wait anyway?

Stone Fruit Sangria by Casey Barber

Take advantage of an abundance of stone fruit such as plums and apricots in this summer-forward sangria. While many sangria recipes call for several types of liquor, we paired things down with just a bottle of merlot, plus cherry juice and raspberry seltzer for extra-tart flavor.

Paradise Frosé by Will Wyatt

During the dog days of summer, nothing quite hits the spot like frosé, a slushy version of rosé wine. In a blender, whir together a bottle of dry rose, vodka, sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice; freeze the mixture overnight and then blend again until it reaches a slurpable consistency. Fill your glass and grab your favorite beach read for a taste of paradise.

Strawberry Smash Cocktail by Jon Taffer

This vodka-forward cocktail doesn't get its strawberry flavor from anything artificial. Instead, it relies on fresh berries and tarragon to capture summer in a glass.

Frozen Watermelon Mojito by Elizabeth Heiskell

Once you master a classic mojito, stray from the ordinary with this extra-fruity variation. Frozen watermelon pairs naturally with the usual mint and lime, and adds a refreshing, juicy layer to this Cuban cocktail.

Frozen Rosé (Frosé) by Elizabeth Heiskell

Want to amp up your usual glass of frosé? Make a strawberry simple syrup, as called for in this recipe. The rich berry syrup not only adds sweetness, but enhances the natural fruit flavors in a bottle of your favorite rosé wine.

Aperol Spritz by John Alberti and Tony Alberti

An Aperol spritz is nothing new, but it's dramatically risen in popularity over the last few years. Want a taste of the trend? Follow this surprisingly simple recipe that will guide you through how to capture the essence of Italy.

Carson Daly's Rum Punch by Carson Daly and Siri Daly

Every hour is happy hour when Carson Daly is in this room. This rum punch features two varieties of the Caribbean liquor — white rum and coconut rum — plus pineapple juice, apricot brandy and orange juice. No matter where in the world you are, it tastes like vacation.

Big Batch Green Tea, Vodka and Pear Punch by Maureen Petrosky

If you’re not a fan of overly sweet cocktails, you’ll love this subtle sipper made with green tea, simple syrup, lemon juice, pear purée, oranges and fresh pears. If you’re hosting an afternoon gathering in the sun, this big batch summer drink will serve you and your guests well.

Mint Cooler Cocktail with Berry and Cucumber by Ryan Scott

Not only are there an abundance of berries in this cocktail, but you’ll also find them in the custom-made ice cubes. It's a low-effort, high-reward drink for summer.

Red, White and Blue(berry) Margaritas by Billy Dec

Inspired by firecracker popsicles, this layered margarita is the ultimate cocktail for patriotic parties all summer long.

Berry-Herb Sangria by Casey Barber

Jazz up a bottle of your favorite dry red wine with crème de cassis, simply syrup and raspberry seltzer, plus fresh berries and rosemary. It's a thirst-quenching, juicy sangria that you have to make on a peak summer day.

Frozen Aperol Peach Margarita Pitcher by Elizabeth Heiskell

Two of our favorite cocktails — an Aperol spritz and a fruit margarita — become one in this staple summer recipe. It's designed to serve a crowd, who will easily drain the pitcher until the very last drop.

Spiked Sweet Tea by Matt Abdoo

For an adults-only, southern-style sweet tea, spike it with bourbon. The caramel and dark brown sugar notes present in barrel-aged whiskey will add a layer of depth to homemade sweet tea.

Carson Daly's Ginger Beer Margarita by Carson Daly

Use really high-quality ginger beer for the spiciest, most potent flavor in this simple three-ingredient margarita.

Sunny Anderson's 3-Ingredient Grilled Hard Arnold Palmer by Sunny Anderson

This grown-up Arnold Palmer features one lip-puckering addition: limoncello. The Italian liqueur adds even more citrusy flavor to this refreshing classic.

Watermelon Rum Punch by Katie Lee Biegel

Given how flavorful this rum punch is, the recipe is surprisingly simple to make. Combine watermelon juice, orange juice, lime juice and rum, then top with ginger beer and fresh orange slices just before serving.

Strawberry Lemonade by Romel Bruno

Sure, you can buy bottled strawberry lemonade, but nothing tastes as good as homemade. Use 1½ pounds strawberries and two cups of freshly squeezed lemonade for the best flavor.

Thai Basil Lemonade by Erin French

Thai basil is noted for its peppery, spicy flavor, which is a delicious contrast to a batch of sweetened lemonade.

Berry Smash by Lauren "LP" Paylor O'Brien

To make this summer drink, start by muddling a trio of fresh berries with mint leaves. Add freshly brewed lemon tea, hibiscus tea and simple syrup then top with ginger beer for this cooling mocktail.

Frozen Shirley by Katie Stilo

Cool off with a frozen version of the ultimate mocktail — a Shirley Temple. You only need a handful of timeless ingredients — ginger ale, maraschino cherries, lime juice and grenadine — to prep this drink.

Lemon and Tonic by Lauren "LP" Paylor O'Brien

Think this sounds boring? Think again. A combination of lemon peels, coriander, dried elderflower, ground ginger, juniper berries and fresh mint create so much flavor in this booze-free drink.

Thelma Golden's Ginger Beer by Thelma Golden and Questlove

When you’re feeling up for a cooking project, try your hand at homemade ginger beer. It starts with just three simple ingredients — fresh ginger, sugar and water — which transform over time.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com